President Donald Trump on Wednesday, April 1, directly went after Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and claimed that there was widespread fraud in the Somali-American community in Minnesota, repeating his claim that immigrants from Somalia come into the country with little money but quickly are able to afford luxury cars like Mercedes-Benz while committing fraud on programs paid for by U.S. taxpayers.
In the clip shared by the White House Rapid Response account on X, Trump stated: “They come here with no money, and they go out and buy Mercedes-Benzes. And Ilhan Omar, who married her brother, is a stone-cold crook, and everybody knows it.”
The remarks made during the White House Easter lunch come as the Trump administration ramps up investigations into public assistance programs in Minnesota, home to the largest Somali population in the United States.
Federal prosecutors have estimated that fraud in certain Medicaid-related services and other state programs could exceed $9 billion, with earlier claims from Trump putting the total losses across childcare, feeding programs, autism services, and housing assistance as high as $19 billion.
Minnesota officials and prosecutors have confirmed multiple large-scale fraud cases. In one prominent scheme involving pandemic-era feeding programs for children, defendants, many of Somali descent, allegedly used funds to buy real estate, luxury cars, and fund international travel.
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Dozens of individuals have faced charges, with documented losses in the hundreds of millions so far. A U.S. attorney described the programs as so vulnerable that they attracted scammers from outside the state.
Trump has tied the fraud directly to immigration policy, arguing that Minnesota serves as a clear example of problems caused by mass migration from “failed societies” like Somalia, which he has repeatedly called a lawless, fourth-world nation lacking basic government functions.
His administration has terminated Temporary Protected Status for some Somalis in the state, deployed federal agents to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and frozen certain childcare funds pending reviews.
The president has also escalated scrutiny of Omar, the Democratic congresswoman representing Minnesota’s 5th District and the first Somali-American elected to Congress.
Trump and Vice President JD Vance have revived long-standing allegations that Omar committed immigration fraud by entering a marriage with a man identified as her brother to help him gain legal status in the U.S.
Omar has consistently denied the claims, calling them “sick” and politically motivated smears with no credible evidence.
Vance said in a recent interview that the administration believes Omar “definitely committed immigration fraud against the United States of America” and has discussed possible legal remedies with White House officials, including Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.
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Border Czar Tom Homan confirmed that records related to Omar’s marriages and immigration history are under review.
Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Nancy Mace, have pushed for subpoenas on the matter during congressional hearings on Minnesota fraud.
Omar defends herself.
During his February 2026 State of the Union address, Trump called Minnesota a “stunning example” of corruption plundering America, claiming Somali community members had “pillaged” billions.
Omar, seated in the chamber, interrupted by shouting, “That’s a lie.” Trump later suggested on social media that Omar and other critics like Rep. Rashida Tlaib should be “sent back” or institutionalized.
State and local leaders, including Gov. Tim Walz, have received criticism from Trump for allegedly allowing the fraud to fester under prior administrations.
Trump accused the Biden era of doing “absolutely nothing” about the schemes. Minnesota prosecutors claim that poor oversight over the years enabled the losses, though independent reviews have confirmed fraud at levels lower than the highest estimates cited by Trump.
Why it matters.
The Somali community in Minnesota has expressed alarm over the rhetoric and enforcement actions. Some leaders claim that the focus unfairly paints an entire group for the actions of a subset of individuals charged in specific cases.
Federal immigration operations in the area have caused worries about due process, prompting lawsuits from legal aid groups claiming fast-tracked deportations deny fair hearings.
